1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to side-view mirrors having a control device which can adjust the reflective surfaces of or retract side-view mirrors used in a vehicle, construction equipment, or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
In vehicles, construction equipment, agricultural equipment, and the like, a side-view mirror is provided at the exterior of the vehicle at each of the right and left sides of the vehicle in order for the driver to be able to confirm the rearward field of vision while driving. Further, side-view mirrors are known which are of the type that an electric remote-controlled adjustment mechanism is housed therein, in order to maintain the mirror surface of the side-view mirror at an angle of reflection which is optimal for the driver. In such side-view mirrors, usually, an electric retracting mechanism, for improving the ability to park the vehicle, is also housed in within the side-view mirror. (An example of such a structure is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 10-278676.)
Such a side-view mirror which incorporates an electric remote-controlled adjustment mechanism has, at the interior of each of the left-side and right-side mirrors, plural motors for adjusting the mirror surface (e.g., two motors at each of the left-side and right-side mirrors) and a motor for retracting the mirror (e.g., one motor at each of the left-side and right-side mirrors). Thus, the side-view mirrors are expensive to manufacture. Further, because the adjusting mechanism is disposed within the mirror, i.e., at the exterior of the vehicle, it must have a waterproofing mechanism and a dustproofing mechanism to protect against rain, clouds of dust, or the like. For this reason as well, the side-view mirrors are expensive to manufacture.
In view of the aforementioned, an object of the present invention is to provide side-view mirrors in which, without adversely affecting the operations of retracting the mirrors and adjusting the mirror surfaces, mechanisms are greatly simplified and a waterproofing/ dustproofing mechanism can be omitted, thereby resulting in much lower manufacturing costs.
A first aspect of the present invention is a pair of left-side and right-side side-view mirrors for a vehicle, comprising: mirror surfaces; mirror visors. covering the mirror surfaces; and a control device by which the mirror surfaces are adjustable, the control device comprising: connecting members connected independently to the pair of left-side and right-side side-view mirrors, said connecting members subjecting the side-view mirrors to a mirror surface adjustment operation by transferring to the side-view mirrors driving force which is applied to said connecting members; a switching driving section having a drive source, and switchable between a state in which one connecting member of said connecting members is independently connected to the drive source and a state in which another connecting member of said connecting members is independently connected to the drive source, and applying driving force to the connecting member which is connected to the drive source; and an operation portion for carrying out driving and a switching operation of the drive source of said switching driving section.
In the side-view mirrors of the first aspect of the present invention, connecting members are connected independently to a pair of left-side and right-side side-view mirrors, and the connecting members can be connected independently to a drive source. Namely, the switching driving section can be switched between a state of independently connecting the drive source to one of the connecting members and a state of independently connecting the drive source to the other of the connecting members. Accordingly, the connecting member to which the drive source is connected transfers the driving force of the drive source, and the mirror surface of the side-view mirror is moved and adjusted by this driving force.
In this way, in the side-view mirrors of the first aspect, the driving mechanism for moving and adjusting the mirror surface, which was provided at each of the left-side and right-side side-view mirrors in conventional structures, is unified into a single switching driving section. Thus, the manufacturing cost can be greatly reduced.
The switching driving section is connected to the side-view mirrors via the connecting members. Thus, the switching driving section can be installed within the vehicle compartment. Accordingly, there is no need to provide a special mechanism for waterproofing or dustproofing against rain or clouds of sand. For this reason as well, the manufacturing cost is reduced.
If the switching driving section, which corresponds to the mechanism group which was provided at the height of the driver""s shoulders in conventional devices, is structured so as to be able to be placed, for example, near the feet of the driver, the effects of the sound of operation of the drive source and the like can be reduced, which contributes to the comfort of the driver.
In addition, the present invention does not differ from conventional devices with regard to operational performance of the mirror surface adjustment which is carried out by the driver, and thus, the same level of convenience can be ensured.
In this way, in the side-view mirrors of the first aspect, without adversely affecting the operation of mirror surface adjustment of the side-view mirrors by the driver, the mechanism can be greatly simplified and a waterproofing/dustproofing mechanism can be omitted. Thus, manufacturing costs can be greatly reduced.
A second aspect of the present invention is a pair of left-side and right-side side-view mirrors for a vehicle, comprising: mirror surfaces; mirror visors covering the mirror surfaces; mirror stays supporting the mirror visors; and a control device by which the side-view mirrors are retractable, the control device comprising: connecting members connected to the pair of left-side and right-side side-view mirrors, said connecting members subjecting the side-view mirrors to a retracting operation by transferring to the side-view mirrors driving force which is applied to said connecting members; a single drive source which applies a driving force to said connecting members by being connected to said connecting members; and an operation portion which carries out an operation for driving of said drive source.
In the side-view mirrors of the second aspect, driving force from the drive source is transmitted by the connecting members connected to the left-side and right-side pair of side-view mirrors, and the side-view mirrors are retracted by the driving force.
Here, there is no need to retract the pair of side-view mirrors separately. In the side-view mirrors of the second aspect, the left-side and right-side side-view mirrors can be retracted by a single drive source. Thus, the mechanism is simplified, and the costs are reduced.
The single drive source is connected to the side-view mirrors via the connecting members. Thus, the drive source can be disposed within the vehicle compartment. Accordingly, a special mechanism for waterproofing or dustproofing against rain and clouds of dust can be omitted, and the manufacturing cost can thereby be reduced.
If the drive source, which corresponds to the mechanism group which was provided at the height of the driver""s shoulders in conventional devices, is structured so as to be able to be placed, for example, near the feet of the driver, the effects of the sound of operation of the drive source and the like can be reduced, which contributes to the comfort of the driver.
In addition, the present invention does not differ from conventional devices with regard to the operational performance of retracting which is carried out by the driver, and thus, the same level of convenience can be ensured.
In this way, in the side-view mirrors of the second aspect, without adversely affecting the operation of retraction of the side-view mirrors by the driver, the mechanism can be greatly simplified and a waterproofing/dustproofing mechanism can be omitted. Thus, manufacturing costs can be greatly reduced.